Breaking Away
by The Angel of the Lion
Summary: When Rinoa is forced to marry Seifer, she leaves everything behind to lead a normal life, only to discover that things can get in the way of true love.
1. Breaking Away

Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8 or any of the characters.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Princess Rinoa. His Highness wishes to speak with you." The maid curtseyed politely as she delivered the message.  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"The throne room, my lady."  
  
"That will be all. Thank you." As the maid left, Rinoa got up off her bed, her gown trailing along the floor behind her.  
  
"This had better not be another one of those marriage talks. I'm sick of them."  
  
"Ah, Rinoa. I see you got the message."  
  
"Yes father," she replied in an attempt to sound enthusiastic.  
  
"There will be a guest at the feast tonight. Prince Almasy from Deling. I would like you to meet him."  
  
"Very well, father. May I go now?"  
  
"Hmph. As you wish. But make sure you're at your best tonight. And don't be late.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Not another feast. There's a feast every week. I hate them." Rinoa cursed as she checked her reflection in the mirror. One last adjustment of her hair, and she was ready to go. She waited patiently at the top of the staircase in the throne room.  
  
"Princess Rinoa Heartilly of Timber," the announcer said to a round of applause from all the guests. She smiled her best fake smile as she descended towards the other guests, taking the seat to the right of her father.  
  
"He's up next," her father told her abruptly. Rinoa looked towards the top of the stairs where a man was standing waiting to be announced as a guest.  
  
"Prince Seifer Almasy." The first thing Rinoa noticed was the scar that ran between his eyes, giving him a distinctive appearance.  
  
"He's not bad looking," she thought. "Not good looking either." To her surprise, Seifer sat down in the seat next to her.  
  
"My lady," he said politely, taking her hand and kissing it. The look in his eyes frightened Rinoa. It was the look of a hunter. A hunter who had found his prey and was closing in for the kill.  
  
"Let the feast begin," her father announced, at which point everyone began to eat, including Seifer.  
  
"Disgusting," thought Rinoa. "He eats like a pig."  
  
"You need a man with a good appetite," her father whispered, seeing the look of disdain on her face. "How is your father Seifer?"  
  
"Good," he muttered, not swallowing his food before speaking. "Obviously. I run things now. He's only the King in name alone. I'm far more important."  
  
"This is going to be a very long night," thought Rinoa.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
When the feast had ended, much to the relief of Rinoa, her father announced that the dancing would begin.  
  
"I'm safe. Seifer's had too much to drink. He can't want to dance. Besides, that would mean thinking about someone other than himself."  
  
"Why don't you ask my daughter to dance with you?" the king asked Seifer, much to Rinoa's dismay.  
  
"What a good idea. Thanks," he replied drunkenly, slapping him on the back.  
  
"I apologise. I feel a little faint. If I may retire to my room?" Not waiting for a reply, Rinoa fled the throne room to the safety of her own room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rinoa. What did you think you were doing last night?"  
  
"I'm sorry father. I felt ill."  
  
"You're lying. I know you are."  
  
"Father, I wouldn't lie to you," she protested. He slapped her across the face.  
  
"You are lying. You know that Prince Seifer would be perfect to marry. You just want to ruin everything for me."  
  
"That's not true. I just don't love him."  
  
"Love? Love?" He began to laugh. You're a princess. You will marry a prince. Love has nothing to do with anything."  
  
"But father."  
  
"Lucky for you that Prince Seifer has offered you a marriage proposal."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Naturally, I told him that you would accept."  
  
"But father."  
  
"YOU WILL ACCEPT." He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Rinoa collapsed onto her bed, burying her head in the pillow, crying softly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa stared at the picture she kept on her windowsill.  
  
"Forgive me mother, but I can't stay here. Father keeps telling me that you would have wanted me to marry some rich prince, but I can't believe that you'd want me to live my life with someone I couldn't love." She threw the picture into her bag and fastened it, before putting on a cloak, pulling it down over her face so that she couldn't be recognised.  
  
She turned around and took one last look at the palace, her home, the place where she had grown up. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she realised that she would never return. 


	2. Alone

Chapter 2  
  
  
  
All night Rinoa had been walking, trying to get to the nearest town. By the time she reached it, she was close to collapsing with exhaustion. She found the nearest inn, and entered, ordering a drink to quench her thirst. Gulping down the water as fast as she could, she turned to the innkeeper.  
  
"Is there any way I can get out of town today?"  
  
"Not that I know of, unless you want to walk it."  
  
"There must be some way," she screamed in desperation, wanting to get as far away from the castle as possible.  
  
"I can get you out of town," the man next to her offered.  
  
"You can?"  
  
"I'm only in town for the farmer's market. I was about to head off now. I can take you to another town on the way."  
  
"Thank you. Thank you so much."  
  
"Of course, it'll cost you."  
  
"Will this do?" She handed him a 2000 gil note, and his eyes lit up.  
  
"That will do nicely, thank you." He got up to leave. Rinoa picked up her bags and followed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The ride in the cart was long and uncomfortable. Rinoa did not enjoy the company either. The man she was travelling with was rude and unpleasant.  
  
"Though not quite as unpleasant as Seifer," she thought wryly. Despite the bumpy ride, she soon found herself falling asleep, her head resting against a bale of hay.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa awoke and found her surroundings had changed. She was lying in the gutter, alone.  
  
"He just dumped me here? Maybe he is as bad as Seifer." Seeing that her bags were still beside her, she checked her purse, only to find that it was missing.  
  
"Damn him." She began to weep.  
  
"I'm all alone, with no money, and I don't even know where I am. What am I going to do?" She heard voices from a nearby alleyway and two men emerged, obviously drunk.  
  
"Well, look what we have here."  
  
"A little beggar girl."  
  
"They're always the best, they are." Both of them began to laugh.  
  
"I bet she'll be fun this one. Such a pretty little thing."  
  
"Looks so pure and innocent."  
  
"We'll see what we can do about that." They both advanced upon Rinoa, and she began to scream.  
  
"Don't come any closer. Get away from me."  
  
"Ha, did you hear that?"  
  
"Somebody help. Please help." Both men were almost upon her now. "Help." She closed her eyes, knowing that her pleas were hopeless. However, nothing happened. She tentatively opened her eyes, only to find the two drunks sprawled unconscious on the floor. 


	3. The Lord

Chapter 3  
  
  
  
"Are you alright?" Rinoa looked up to see a well-dressed and very handsome young man. He couldn't have been much older than her, but his eyes betrayed a maturity well beyond his years.  
  
"I'm fine. Thank you."  
  
"You still look a little shaken. Would you like me to walk you home?" he asked, the complete gentleman.  
  
"No it's okay. I don't have anywhere to go anyway."  
  
"You mean you live on the streets?" he asked, obviously shocked. She nodded, not wanting to look him in the eyes. "Why?"  
  
"I, erm, I'm an orphan. I ran away from the orphanage where I was staying."  
  
"That's terrible. Why did you run away?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it." Rinoa didn't want to tell the stranger who she really was and why she was here. She didn't want anyone to know.  
  
"That's fine, you don't have to, but I won't let you stay on the streets. You can stay with me until you get things sorted out."  
  
"Thank you, but I couldn't intrude."  
  
"It would be no intrusion. Please, I'd be glad of the company." Rinoa knew she shouldn't accept his offer. Not after what had happened the day before, but there was something that made her trust this man. She couldn't put her finger on it, but for some reason she knew that no harm would come to her.  
  
"Well, if you're sure."  
  
"I am. Come on, I'll walk you there."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You live here?" she gasped. She was standing outside an old-looking mansion, in the centre of a large expanse of land, in which she could see a lake, a forest and an orchard. "Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Squall Leonhart."  
  
"Do you own this place?" she asked, clearly overawed.  
  
"Yes, I'm the Lord of the whole area," he replied, clearly embarrassed.  
  
"I apologise, Lord Leonhart, for not knowing your identity." She curtseyed towards him, and became worried when she saw the look of shock on his face. "Is anything the matter, Lord?"  
  
"No, it's just that that's the kind of curtsey that royalty give. I guess I was just shocked because you said you were an orphan."  
  
"We were taught good manners at the orphanage," she lied.  
  
"I'm sorry. And please, call me Squall." He opened the front door and motioned for her to enter. "Let me take your bags up to your room."  
  
"You don't have servants to do it for you?"  
  
"Yes, I have servants, but I don't like asking them to do everything for me. I wouldn't have any at all if I had the choice, but I couldn't leave them without a job." Rinoa began to laugh. "What is it?"  
  
"I just thought all noblemen were pigs. You're different."  
  
"And how many noblemen have you met?"  
  
"Well, none," she replied, remembering to keep her identity secret. "It was just the impression I had."  
  
"These are your rooms." He set Rinoa's bags down inside the room. "I'll leave you alone now to have a bath if you want. If you need anything, don't hesitate to find me. My room's at the end of the hall."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"No problem. By the way, you didn't tell me your name."  
  
"My name's Rinoa Heartilly." She didn't think there was any harm in telling him her first name, and Heartilly was her mother's surname so she didn't think that he would find out who she really was.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Miss Heartilly, may I come in?" Rinoa answered the door to find Squall with a tray of food. "I hope this is alright. If you don't like it I could make something else."  
  
"No, no thank you very much. And please, call me Rinoa."  
  
"Very well, Rinoa."  
  
"Will you join me?"  
  
"If you don't mind." The pair sat down on Rinoa's bed to eat.  
  
"You made all of this?" she asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, well apart from the cake. One of the servants made that yesterday. I'm a terrible cook you see."  
  
"You're not, this is delicious."  
  
"Thank you. You're the first person to compliment me on my cooking."  
  
"That's okay. Anyway, tell me about yourself, if you don't mind that is. You don't have to."  
  
"I don't mind."  
  
"I was just interested in how you got to be the Lord when you're obviously so young."  
  
"My father was the Lord before me. He died last year."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't worry about it. He was very ill. It had been coming for a long time. I was just glad that I was back from the war to be with him."  
  
"You fought in the war?"  
  
"Yes, I was a general. I won many battles. Why do you sound so shocked?"  
  
"Because you look so young. How old were you when you joined the army?"  
  
"Fifteen."  
  
"Fifteen?"  
  
"Yes, I'll admit that I was young when I joined, but I certainly left an older man. You have to grow up very quickly when you fight for your life every day."  
  
"So, how old are you now?"  
  
"Eighteen, just. What about you? I don't know anything about you other than you lived at an orphanage."  
  
"That's all there is to tell. I never knew my parents." Sensing that Rinoa was not ready to talk about anything more, and that there was something she didn't want to tell him, Squall politely said his goodnights, and left Rinoa to sleep. 


	4. Sleepless Night

Chapter 4  
  
  
  
Rinoa sighed, staring up at the moon from her window.  
  
"Why can't I stop thinking about him?"  
  
"I don't want to lie to him anymore. I hate lying. It makes me think I'm taking after my father." She shook her head, trying to dispel that thought from her mind.  
  
"I'll never be like him. I'll never share his ridiculous opinions about life. I'll never believe that you can automatically be better than someone else, just because of your name, or who your parents are."  
  
"I didn't belong with father anymore, maybe I never did. Maybe I don't belong with any royalty at all. I mean, look at Seifer. He was just as bad as my father. He didn't care that I didn't want to marry him." Rinoa thought about all the times her father had given her the speech about what her life would mean.  
  
"You're a princess. That means that you will marry a rich prince and your only duty will be to give him an heir. You must marry a prince, that is what princesses are for."  
  
"That's what all rich people think and it's wrong. Why am I the only person to realise that?"  
  
"Well, maybe not the only one."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Squall sat on his windowsill, staring at the stars in the night sky.  
  
"I wonder who she really is?"  
  
"I know that she was lying to me before, but what can I do about it?"  
  
"There's something very different about her. She's not an orphan from some poor family, I can tell. The way she speaks, the way she walks and acts, the way she curtseys. There's something she's hiding."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Miss Heartilly, would you care to join me for breakfast."  
  
"I would be delighted, thank you." Squall led her down the stairs and into the large dining room, overlooking the gardens.  
  
"You can enjoy some good food now. The servants prepared it."  
  
"The food you prepared last night was exquisite."  
  
"Don't tell me he's been trying to cook again," said a tall, blond woman, shaking her head. "It's a miracle you're still alive."  
  
"May I introduce Quistis Trepe. She's the cook here." After Squall had formally introduced Quistis and Rinoa, he sat down at the head of the long dining table, which could easily seat thirty people. Rinoa took the seat next to him, and they began to eat. "I was just about to go for a ride. Do you want to join me? You can ride can't you?"  
  
"Of course I can ride," she replied with disbelief, before remembering that Squall had no idea of her upbringing. "What I meant to say was that I would be delighted to accompany you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I thought you said you could ride," said Squall with a grin on his face, watching Rinoa try to saddle one of the horses.  
  
"I can ride," she said indignantly. "It's not my fault I was never taught to do this." She made another attempt, but failed miserably. "Where are the stablehands when you need them," she thought.  
  
"Here, I'll show you." Squall placed his hands on Rinoa's and she shivered slightly at his touch. "Are you alright?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, yes. I'm fine," she said clearly embarrassed that being this close to him could have such an effect on her.  
  
"Alright then. You just do this." Rinoa struggled to follow his movements as he effortlessly saddled the horse. "It's easy, see?"  
  
"Yes," she lied. He had obviously had a lot of practice at this. He offered her his hand and helped her into the saddle. To his surprise, she rode side saddle, and quite skilfully too. Only women from well-off families were able to do this, and it once again set Squall wondering as to Rinoa's past.  
  
"Who is she? Why is she here? Where did she come from? And why does she keep lying to me?" 


	5. Waltz For the Moon

Chapter 5  
  
  
  
"You ride very well you know."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Where did you learn?"  
  
"Erm, at the orphanage."  
  
"They taught you to ride there?"  
  
"Yes." Squall knew this was a lie, but did not push it any further, changing the subject instead.  
  
"There is to be a ball held here tonight. I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, it slipped my mind. Will you be attending?"  
  
"What's the ball for?"  
  
"Oh, it's for a charity. In hold it every year."  
  
"Really?" Rinoa was shocked. "I bet Seifer wouldn't help other people."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. Sorry."  
  
"Will you come then?"  
  
"I don't know." She usually hated events like this, being forced to dance with total strangers and make polite conversation all evening.  
  
"Please. I get really bored at things like this. I could do with someone to talk to." Seeing that tonight could be different, Rinoa agreed to go.  
  
"Fine, I'll be there."  
  
"Thank you." Squall smiled at Rinoa, making her feel warm in the chill air. "I'll take you to town if you want so you can get something to wear."  
  
"It's alright, I have something suitable with me, but thank you for the offer anyway."  
  
"Why would an orphan, living on the streets have clothes like that?" Squall pondered.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you ready yet?"  
  
"Just a minute," Rinoa shouted from the other side of the door. She sat in front of the mirror, ensuring that every hair on her head was neat and in place. "It'll be alright," she told herself, instinctively clasping the necklace she always wore around her neck. She didn't know why, but wearing her mother's ring gave her some inner strength. She stood up and straightened out the creases in her favourite dress, a long, flowing white ball gown. It was one of the few things that she had brought with her because she thought it was beautiful. She had never worn it for any occasion before, as she knew that she would have had a miserable time, stuck with one of the many random men her father introduced her to. "Tonight will be different," she told herself. "I might even enjoy myself if I spend the evening with Squall." Remembering that he was waiting for her outside, she opened the door. "So, how do I look?" she asked. There was no reply from Squall as he stared straight at her, never moving his gaze. "What's wrong? Do I look terrible? Is my hair in a mess?" She was genuinely panicked about not looking her best. Squall shook his head.  
  
"No, no. You look fantastic. There's nothing wrong at all. You look perfect."  
  
"Then why were you staring?" Squall's cheeks turned pink as he began to blush.  
  
"I was just shocked, that's all. Shall we get going?" Rinoa nodded and followed him down the staircase with a distant look on her face. "Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm just nervous. I don't know anybody here." That was a lie. In reality, she was afraid that somebody would recognise her.  
  
"Don't worry. You'll be fine. Just stick close to me." They arrived at the double doors of the great hall.  
  
"Ladies and gentleman, Lord Leonhart and Miss Rinoa Heartilly," Zell announced to all present. There were some murmurs amongst the guests, wondering who the woman was who was entering the room on the arm of Lord Leonhart. She merely smiled as they walked into the room, Squall noticing her confident strides.  
  
"Feels like she's done this before," he thought.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa knew that she had made the right decision by coming. All through the meal, people were constantly asking Squall questions, and he obliged them by answering, even though Rinoa could tell that secretly, he wanted everyone to leave him alone. Even so, what he had to say was fascinating to Rinoa, and was never pretentious, which shocked her, as he was a nobleman. Again she wondered why her father had never chosen a suitor for her with a personality like Squall's. He would make a great king, that Rinoa knew for sure.  
  
After the meal had been cleared away came the part that Rinoa had always hated the most, dancing. She headed instinctively for the wall, and surveyed the dance floor, hoping to remain inconspicuous. She noticed Squall get stopped every other step by various women, all hoping for a dance. Every time, he refused.  
  
"So I'm not the only one then," she thought to herself, stifling a laugh as yet another young woman nearly tripped over her gown trying to catch up with the Lord. Eventually, a rather harassed looking Squall made it away from the dance floor, and leant against the wall next to Rinoa.  
  
"I see you don't like dancing then."  
  
"It's not that I don't like it. I just don't like dancing with complete strangers who always turn out to be complete jerks. What's your excuse?"  
  
"I can't dance."  
  
"Can't dance?" she asked with disbelief. He nodded his head, staring at the floor. "I don't believe you. Every Lord learns to dance."  
  
"I can't dance."  
  
"Sure you can, come on," Rinoa motioned towards the dance floor.  
  
"No way, I'm not dancing."  
  
"Let me guess, you'll only dance with somebody you like. Well here goes." She moved her finger back and forth in front of Squall's eyes, trying to hypnotise him. "You're going to like me, you're going to like me. Well, did it work?" Without waiting for an answer, she said, "Good," and dragged him onto the dance floor. Grabbing both of his hands, she placed one on her waist and began to dance.  
  
"I haven't done this for so long," he thought. "She's going to laugh at me. I'm going to screw this up." Sure enough, he stepped on her foot almost immediately. To his surprise, she just smiled and continued dancing. "I'm not doing this." He started to walk away, but was swiftly dragged back by Rinoa.  
  
"It'll be fine," she said, smiling at him. Something in those eyes gave him confidence, something in that smile made him believe that he could do this. He shut his eyes and tried to recall his dance lessons. To his surprise, he found that he could, and was soon dancing like a pro. He was even more surprised, however, at the grace of Rinoa. She danced as if it was her second nature. Every movement of her feet was perfect. Squall could tell that she had been very well trained, and had had a great deal of practice. "Where did she learn this?" he thought. He quickly dispelled this, and decided to enjoy the dance instead. To him, it was perfect. There was something about being this close to her. He couldn't explain the feeling he got when she was in his arms. He had never felt this way before. When the dance came to an end, he didn't let go of Rinoa. He held her closer and stoked her hair from her face, causing her to smile. He began to lean towards her, until their lips were almost touching. He expected her to pull away, but instead she slid her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. He leaned further, but before their lips could touch, there was a tap on Squall's shoulder.  
  
"Excuse me. Can I have the next dance?" asked a fair-haired young woman.  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm going to get a drink." Squall strode off towards the kitchen, leaving Rinoa and the woman staring at each other in the centre of the hall.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorry for the delay in writing this update. I'd like to say thank you to everybody who's reviewed my fics. All the reviews mean a great deal to me, so please keep them coming. I would especially like to thank Angelwhispher, Renegade Seraph and Rinoa Leonhart73, and above all Dan, because without him, I wouldn't be writing. 


	6. Shooting Star

Chapter 6  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, so don't sue me. Ps. Please, please, please review. I know I'm not the greatest writer, but I'm beginning to feel like nobody out there likes me which is my updates are getting slower and slower.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa didn't see Squall for the rest of the dance.  
  
"Did I do something wrong?"  
  
"Maybe I danced really badly."  
  
"Or maybe he just doesn't like me at all."  
  
"Excuse me, miss. Could I dance with you please?" asked a young man who had been staring at Rinoa for most of the evening. She smiled politely, but refused.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm not feeling very well. I think I'll go and get some fresh air." She strode across the hall but found that the door to the garden was locked. She left the hall, knowing that there was a balcony upstairs, and that it would be deserted. As soon as she got through the double doors, tears began to cascade down her cheek as she remembered the look on Squall's face as he left. Wiping away the tears, she lifted the bottom of her dress slightly so that she could climb the stairs without tripping.  
  
"That's strange. The door to the balcony isn't usually open."  
  
She tentatively stepped outside, staring up at the stars.  
  
"It's been so long since I've done this," she thought. "I used to just stare up at them from my room and hope to be away from that horrible place. And now I am far away, I still find myself staring up at them." And then, she saw something magical. A shooting star. She gasped, never having seen one before. Those who had were said to be blessed.  
  
"Are you alright?" Rinoa jumped in fright, thinking that she had been alone.  
  
"Squall, have you been here the whole time?" He nodded.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry about leaving before. I'd just had enough of everyone asking me to dance."  
  
"Sorry," Rinoa apologised sheepishly.  
  
"Oh, no. I wasn't aiming that at you."  
  
"Sure." Squall put his hand underneath Rinoa's chin and lifted it so that she was looking into his eyes.  
  
"I mean it. I liked dancing with you. I, I guess I was just disappointed because we were interrupted and that girl stopped me from." Squall trailed off.  
  
"From what?" she asked curiously. His answer was to lean down and kiss her gently on lips. Rinoa shivered slightly causing Squall to pull away.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"No, no, it's not that. It's just that nobody's ever kissed me before, so I was kind of nervous. Sorry." Squall held her as close as he could and ran his fingers through her hair. Looking down at her face, he could see that was blushing.  
  
"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. It was my first kiss too." She looked up in amazement.  
  
"I don't believe that."  
  
"It's true."  
  
"But, I saw how popular you are. Look at all those girls who asked you to dance at the party."  
  
"And did I say yes to anyone?" Rinoa fell silent. "Come on, let's get inside. It's freezing out here." He kissed her on the cheek and led her back inside. 


	7. No Going Back

Chapter 7  
  
  
  
"Excuse me Sir, Miss." Quistis bowed to a very embarrassed Squall and Rinoa who were walking in the hallway hand in hand. "There's a messenger here to see you."  
  
"What, at this time?" Squall sounded annoyed at the interruption.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sir," apologised Quistis, sensing that she had come at a bad time. "But it's urgent that you speak to him."  
  
"Very well. I shall speak to him."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The door to the study flew open as Squall entered, none too happy to be there.  
  
"What is it?" he demanded sternly. The messenger was shocked into silence, obviously in fear of the daunting figure before him. Rinoa snuck quietly into the room behind him and stood in the corner, not wanted to be involved.  
  
"I, I have a message from the King," he stuttered, handing over a letter, his hand shaking wildly. At this, Rinoa swiftly turned to face the wall, hoping that the palace messenger would not recognise her.  
  
"What can he want?" she thought, panicking. "Surely father will not come looking for me. Surely he doesn't know I am here."  
  
Squall snatched the letter from the messenger's hand, and studied it silently, a frown forming on his face.  
  
"So be it," he said to the messenger, emotionless. "You can leave now." The messenger merely nodded his head before leaving the room as swiftly as possible.  
  
"What's the matter, Squall?" Rinoa asked. "You don't seem too happy."  
  
"Just annoyed, I guess. I was looking forward to talking to you without any interruptions." He stared at the floor. "I was going to ask her who she really is," he thought.  
  
"What did the letter say?" she enquired curiously.  
  
"The last thing I needed to hear." He handed her the letter so that she would be able to read it.  
  
  
  
Sir Leonhart,  
  
I have been informed of several sightings of my fugitive daughter in your area. In order to find her once again, I demand that Prince Almasy and I will be given rooms in your mansion. I shall arrive tomorrow.  
  
King Caraway  
  
  
  
A look of total shock spread across Rinoa's face.  
  
"This, this can't be true."  
  
"Tell me about it. I have to put up with him just because of some stupid, bratty princess." Looking at Rinoa, he could see that she was upset. "What, is it something I said?" She ran out of the study before she burst into tears.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rinoa." Squall gently put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" She gave him a weak smile.  
  
"How did you find me?"  
  
"When I'm upset or need to think, I go out on the balcony. I just thought that you might do the same." She was silent. "What was wrong before?"  
  
"It was nothing," she lied. "I shouldn't have been upset that he called me stupid and bratty. Sure, it hurt, but he doesn't know who I am. How was he to know?"  
  
"Are you sure? It didn't look like nothing." He was obviously concerned, Rinoa could see it in his, deep, icy-blue eyes.  
  
"It was nothing." She turned away, obviously lying. "He's going to come here. He's going to find me. He'll take me back to the palace, take me away from Squall. I can't go back. Not after what I've found here."  
  
"Well, if you're sure it's nothing." He kissed her on the forehead, causing her to smile and look up into those eyes. She stood on her tip- toes and kissed him passionately on the lips, not wanting to part from him.  
  
"No, there's no way I'm going back." 


	8. The Challenge

Chapter 8  
  
  
  
Rinoa awoke the next morning only to find that she was not in her room. Noticing that she was being held in place by a protective arm, she rolled off her side to see Squall sleeping next her. She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat steadily, moving up and down in time with his breathing. A smile spread over her face as she remembered the events of the night before, and she settled back down to sleep.  
  
Moments later, however, there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Lord Leonhart." The voice belonged to Quistis. "Lord Leonhart, King Caraway and Prince Seifer have arrived." Squall stirred slightly before waking. "Lord Leonhart?"  
  
"I heard you the first time," he shouted, obviously unhappy at being woken.  
  
"You're really not a morning person, are you?" Rinoa teased.  
  
"No," he answered plainly, hugging her and softly kissing her on the forehead. "We'd better get ready to go and meet them," he sighed, getting out of bed.  
  
"You know what, I don't feel too good. Is it alright if I stay here?" she lied.  
  
"What's the matter?" he asked, concerned.  
  
"It's nothing really. I just feel sick and I have a headache."  
  
"Do you want me to stay with you?"  
  
"No, no. You must go and meet them. I'll be fine." She faked a weak smile, hoping that Squall would believe she was sick.  
  
"Well, if you're sure. I'll come and check on you later, alright." She nodded before Squall kissed her and left the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Good morning your majesties." Squall tried to be as polite as possible when bowing to the two men in front of him. "I have a breakfast prepared for you." He led the way into the dining room and sat in his accustomed seat at the head of the table. An uncomfortable silence followed, as Squall was not very good with small talk. Eventually, it was Seifer who broke this silence.  
  
"I hear you have a lady living with you now."  
  
"Yes," replied Squall, not wanting to give any more details.  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"She sends her apologies. She has been taken ill and must remain in her bed."  
  
"Maybe I should go and see her later." Seifer's smile held a more sinister intent, which Squall noticed. It was obvious to the King that Squall and Seifer had taken an instant dislike to each other, so in an effort to keep the peace, he swiftly changed the subject.  
  
"Thank you for the breakfast. Prince Seifer and I must be on our way into town now." He rose to leave, but Seifer protested.  
  
"Do we have to go so soon? I hear Lord Leonhart is a good sword fighter. I would like to see just how good."  
  
"Is that a challenge?" asked Squall. Normally Squall would not respond to challenges, but there was something about Seifer that really got under his skin, and he wasn't about to back down.  
  
"If you think you're up to it Leonhart." Seifer could tell he was getting to Squall, and this only encouraged him. "Obviously I wouldn't blame you if you refused. I never lose."  
  
"Hmph, we'll see." Squall knew that Seifer was foolish to dismiss him. Squall's prowess with a sword was legendary. It was that that earned him the position of General.  
  
"Very well. Tonight, at six, in the garden. You'd better show up." Seifer strode out of the mansion, laughing at the thought of finding yet another victim. Squall shook his head at the complacency Seifer showed.  
  
"I'll wipe that smirk off his face."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Squall was shocked at how readily he accepted Seifer's challenge. He usually refused, after all, a truly great fighter only engages worthy opponents, and Squall had no idea if Seifer could even fight.  
  
He was even more shocked at how much he relished the thought of victory. He had never enjoyed a fight before. It had never been anything more than his duty. No matter how many battles he had been in, no matter how many he had won, he never enjoyed himself. He found no reason to celebrate victory like the other soldiers did. Squall knew that the battle would begin again the next day, or the day after that. There was no escape from it.  
  
"So why did I accept?"  
  
"Because I hate him."  
  
"But how can I hate somebody I've only just met?" A voice in the back of his mind gave him the answer.  
  
"As easily as you can love someone at first sight."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you feeling any better?" asked Squall, concern filling his voice.  
  
"A little."  
  
"Good. I'm glad to hear it." He sat on the bed next to her, stroking her cheek.  
  
"How did breakfast go?"  
  
"Terrible."  
  
"What happened?" She sat up and put her arm around Squall's shoulder.  
  
"Nothing I put my finger on, but I just get the feeling that Prince Seifer is up to no good."  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
"I don't know. I just don't trust him."  
  
"I don't blame you," she muttered under her breath, secretly pleased that he shared her opinion of Seifer.  
  
"What was that?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing," she replied.  
  
"Do you think you will be well enough to come to dinner tonight?"  
  
"Will they be there?" He nodded. "I don't know, I'll see how I feel." She knew very well that she would not attend the meal.  
  
"Don't feel that you have to. I don't blame you if you decide not to go. I think I'll pretend to be sick as well," he joked.  
  
"Why don't you?" she asked seriously.  
  
"I have to go. Seifer challenged me to a duel tonight and I accepted. I can't pretend to be ill."  
  
"You did what?" she screamed.  
  
"Rinoa, don't worry. I can handle myself." She shook her head. She had witnessed Seifer duelling at the palace and knew how good he was.  
  
"Squall. Seifer's the best swordsman in the kingdom. He's never been beaten. If you go tonight you'll be killed." 


	9. Belief

Chapter 9 

Rinoa was pacing up and down the room she now shared with Squall.

"How can I stop him?  Seifer will kill him."  She held her head in her hands, close to tears.  "I can't lose him."

"I won't lose him," she screamed at the top of her voice, thumping her fist as hard as she could into the wall, not noticing the pain, or the blood trickling between her fingers.  She was glad she had pretended to be ill.  She was glad to be left alone, she needed time to think. "There has to be a way out of this."  She threw herself onto the bed.  "I need to think."  Walking over to the window, she saw her father walking through the grounds.  Accompanying him was Seifer.  

"I've got it."

"I'll tell them I'm here. I'll go with them.  Anything to save Squall."  The thought of leaving him was more terrible than anything else, more terrible than her own death, but she couldn't live with his death on her conscience.  

"If it wasn't for me, Seifer wouldn't even be here.  It's all my fault.  The least I can do, is set this right."  Tearfully, she took a pen and paper, about to write a goodbye note to the man she loved, when there was a knock at the door.  Remembering she was supposed to be sick, she dived into bed, pulling the covers around her chin.  

"Come in," she said weakly.  Quistis entered through the door, and stood at the foot of the bed.

"I was sent to check on you, miss."

"By who?"

"Lord Leonhart.  He was very concerned about your illness."

"He could have come to check on me himself."

"He felt you wouldn't want to see him."  Rinoa closed her eyes and made no reply.  "If I may be so bold, miss, is this about Prince Seifer?"

"What about him?"

"It's common knowledge by now, miss.  The duel, tonight.  Everybody's very excited about it."

"Really," replied Rinoa dryly.  

"You don't approve, miss?"

"How could I possibly approve?  It's suicide!"  She coughed weakly, trying to keep up the pretence of being ill.

"Oh, no.  That's not true miss.  Lord Leonhart is a fighter of unsurpassed skill.  He's never been beaten."

"He's that good?" asked Rinoa.

"Yes.  He'll be fine tonight.  Don't worry miss."

"I have to worry.  I know how good Seifer is.  I don't want him to get hurt."

"I'm sure he won't.  Now, is there anything that you need?"  Rinoa shook her head.

"Actually, could you tell me where Squall is?"

"He's in the armoury, miss.  Would you like me to take you there?"

"No, thank you.  I'll find it myself."  Quistis knew that this was her invitation to leave.

"As you wish."  She curtseyed before leaving the room.

Half an hour and countless wrong turns later, Rinoa had come to the door of the armoury, finding it slightly ajar.  She quietly slipped through the door without making a sound.  Inside was Squall, standing in the centre of the room.  Looking round, she saw the walls were decorated with every kind of weapon imaginable, swords, maces, crossbows.  She stayed in the doorway, not wanting to disturb Squall when he was busy exercising.  She could see that Quistis had been telling the truth about his skill as a fighter.  She had seen many fighters working out before in the palace, but none had ever made it seem so natural.  Every movement of his gunblade seemed instinctive, almost as if he didn't have to think about what he was doing, it just happened.  The muscles in his arms and chest seemed to tense without any effort on his part.  Rinoa suddenly had second thoughts about leaving.  Seeing him training made her realise that he could do this, he had a chance.  Finishing his set of movements, Squall turned around.

"Rinoa…I didn't see you there."  He grabbed his shirt from a nearby bench and put it on, leaving the buttons undone.  He took Rinoa in his arms and held her tightly.  "Do you feel better?"

"I guess."

"Look, if it really means that much to you, I'll tell Seifer I don't want to do this.  I don't mind everybody thinking I'm a coward as long as I still have you."  Rinoa began to cry.  Nobody had ever spoken to her like that before, nobody had ever cared about what she thought.

"I can't let you do that.  I've changed my mind.  If you want to fight Seifer, then you should.  I know you have your pride, so I know you won't back down."

"Thank you."

"I…I just want you to know that I'm behind you.  I believe in you."

"You do?"  Squall seemed genuinely surprised.

"I promise."  She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck, bringing him closer to her, until their lips were almost touching.  "I promise."  Unable to resist any longer, he kissed her, knowing that no matter what would happen that evening, she would be there, waiting for him.

Big thanks to:

Renegade Seraph

Angelwhisper

Riona

Tiger Eyes

Chibi Tsuki

Exhile 87

Angelprinczess29

Quodrono

Oujirou-kinya


	10. The Duel

Chapter 10  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
This was the moment that she had been dreading all day. Squall finished cleaning his gunblade and ran the blade across the palm of his hand, crimson blood running between his fingers and dripping onto the floor. Satisfied that it was sharp, he strapped it to his waist and stood up purposefully.   
  
"Rinoa, it's going to be alright," he said, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. She nodded in return, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to break through at any moment. "Are you coming?"  
  
"I don't know if I can watch," she replied. She knew very well that she couldn't go outside to watch the duel, Seifer and her father would see her immediately. Her view from the balcony wasn't brilliant, but she would have to make do.   
  
"Oh," was all he could manage in reply, secretly offended that she had said she believed in him and yet wouldn't watch. "Maybe she was lying," he thought. "Maybe she thinks I'm going to die out there."  
  
"Please, Squall. Be careful," she shouted after him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Erm, Miss Heartilly?" enquired a tentative voice from outside the door.  
  
"What is it?" Rinoa dried her eyes on her sleeve and hoped that the intrusion would only be a brief one. The door opened and Quistis entered.  
  
"Miss, the duel is about to start and I noticed that you were not present. I was checking whether or not this was deliberate."  
  
"I haven't forgotten if that's what you mean." Rinoa stared down towards the floor, hoping that the red circles around her eyes were not noticeable to Quistis. If she had noticed, she was far too polite to say.  
  
"If I may ask a question, why are you not going to watch?"  
  
"It's very cold out there," Rinoa replied, thinking quickly.   
  
"Well, if you would like to remain in the warmth, there is a very good view from the kitchen. The other servants are there right now. I think Lord Leonhart would be quite embarrassed to know that we were all watching him."  
  
"You mean he can't see you in there?"  
  
"No. It has a perfect view of the grounds but it is very difficult to see inside."  
  
"You're sure of that," pressed Rinoa.  
  
"Yes miss," Quistis replied, puzzled at the attention Rinoa was paying to this little detail.  
  
"Very well. I shall accompany you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, Quistis. You're back." Seeing the company that she kept, the man quickly curtseyed to Rinoa. "I'm sorry, miss. I didn't see you there," he apologised, clearly embarrassed. She giggled slightly.  
  
"That's quite alright."  
  
"Miss Heartilly," Quistis announced. "This is Zell Dincht and Irvine Kinneas. They are also servants here." She shook hands with both of them politely.  
  
"Don't worry. He'll win," Irvine whispered into her ear.  
  
"Hey, Irvine, shut up. It's starting," shouted Zell.  
  
"Zell. We have company," admonished Quistis. "Remember to be polite."  
  
"No, really," protested Rinoa. "I don't want any special treatment." She was interrupted by the first clash of gunblades from outside, at which point they all ran to the window to get the best view. Squall and Seifer were now circling one another like vultures, both taken aback after the first skirmish. Neither of them had had a challenge in a long time.   
  
Seifer rushed towards Squall, only to find the younger man prepared. He raised his gunblade to parry the blow, only to find Seifer quickly move his blade out of the way and underneath Squall's guard, almost breaking through. This tactic would have worked against a lesser fighter, but Squall was no pushover. He was far too accomplished, and too swift on his feet to fall for such manoeuvres.   
  
"Seifer's good," muttered Zell in awe.  
  
"He might be good, but all of his moves are straight out of a textbook," informed Rinoa. "He doesn't have the element of surprise on his side."  
  
"How do you know such much about it?"  
  
"Just a passing interest." She wasn't about to admit that she had seen Seifer fight many times before at the palace. At first, she had been impressed with his prowess, but after seeing a couple of his fights she had begun to realise that he repeated moves a great deal, and that diversity was not his strong point.  
  
Seifer moved in to attack again, but this time Squall was fully prepared for what followed. He ducked Seifer's initial attack and brought his gunblade upwards in a sweeping arc. Seifer struggled to block, only just bringing down his blade in time. The sound of metal on metal reverberated around the whole of the grounds, as Seifer was sent flying backwards. Squall refused to press the advantage, wary of Seifer's counterattack. Irvine noticed the look of wonder on Rinoa's face.  
  
"He's really something isn't he?" She nodded, her concentration never wavering from the battle in front of her. "He's by far the better fighter."  
  
"Although Squall is the best fighter technically, Seifer is far more aggressive. You shouldn't underestimate him," Rinoa cautioned.  
  
"You don't think he can win do you?"  
  
"I do. Seifer's having a lot of trouble reading Squall's movements. If you look at Seifer's shoulders, you can see them moving and the muscles tensing quite easily. A trained fighter would be able to recognise these signs and know automatically what move would follow. Seifer's difficulty comes from the fact that Squall is much more natural with a blade in his hand. His movements are much more flowing and it is nigh on impossible to tell what he is going to do next." Irvine whistled.  
  
"That's more than a passing interest." Rinoa wasn't surprised at the shock in Irvine's voice. They didn't have a clue that she grew up around this. As a child, she had always found the duelling competitions thrilling, and it had become a hobby of hers to watch the best fighters in action when they visited the palace. Squall though, had never been there.  
  
"Probably because he's such a recluse," she thought.  
  
Meanwhile, neither fighter had gained an advantage over the other, Seifer being fearful of Squall's quick, unpredictable movements, and Squall, because he knew instinctively that Seifer would wear down soon. This continued for several more agonising minutes, until Seifer made a fatal mistake.  
  
He brought his gunblade down in a crescent moon shaped manoeuvre that Squall immediately recognised and knew how to combat. He quickly slid his blade towards Seifer's wrist and flicking it suddenly, sending Seifer's weapon crashing to the ground. The final move was made as the tip of Squall's blade snaked towards Seifer's throat, pinning him down.  
  
"Alright, he won," screamed Zell, punching the air. Rinoa breathed a heavy sigh of relief.  
  
"You are free to kill him if you wish," announced King Caraway, who had been watching from the gardens, making sure that all was fair. Squall shook his head.  
  
"I do not wish to kill. I have done enough of that in my life already." Seifer began to laugh.   
  
"You're not a warrior at all. You're a wimp," he taunted.  
  
"Almasy, this man showed you mercy when most would have shown none. You would have killed him in a second, yet he spared your life. Do not mock him." Seifer lowered his head in shame, but remained silent. "Will you not answer me?" the King shouted. "Insolent fool."  
  
"Fine, fine. I yield. What more do you want?" Squall pulled the tip of his gunblade away from Seifer's throat and turned away, walking back towards the mansion.  
  
"Squall," screamed Quistis, Irvine and Zell in unison as they saw Seifer retrieve his blade from the ground and charge towards Squall.  
  
He couldn't hear them.  
  
"Almasy," boomed Caraway forcefully. At this, Squall spun round alerted to the sudden danger.  
  
He was too late.  
  
Rinoa could only watch in horror.  
  
Seifer was already upon him, bringing his blade crashing down against Squall's forehead, leaving a jagged wound running between his eyes. Squall fell to his knees, blood clouding his vision. Instinctively, he stood back up. Tightening his grip on the gunblade, he slashed upwards, wounding Seifer in exactly the same place, but with the wound pointing in the opposite direction. Seifer immediately fell to the ground, unconscious. Squall, freed from the adrenaline of the fight became more and more lightheaded. Suddenly, everything turned black.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Squall," Rinoa screamed running for the kitchen door as fast as she could. She swung it open, letting it crash against the wall. She headed straight for the unconscious Squall who seemed badly injured. "Squall, are you alright?" she asked, cradling his head in her lap, not caring about the blood that seeped into her clothes. "Squall. Answer me."  
  
"Is he alright?" asked a worried Quistis, who had followed Rinoa outside.  
  
"I don't know," she said, her voice shaking with panic. It was then that Rinoa noticed the man standing directly in front of her. She lifted her eyes to meet with his gaze.  
  
Her father. 


End file.
